At first I thought that too, but then I assume it referred to the 4th year of the “Accor Stadium” naming rights?
Edit: forgot about Brisbane hosting 2021 due to COVID.
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I thought it was fourth time in a row the GF would take on October 5. As we know, the GF is held on the first Sunday in October, so the calendar date will change every year.
Phil Gould IS still one of the expert commentators for the State Championship Grand Final just starting now.
Pleased to hear he’s recovered well from his health scare earlier this week.
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No @JohnsonTV its saying 4th time in a row at Accor Stadium and then moves on to say what date the game is on. Two completely different statements.
Nine in recent years especially have definitely tried to turn the NRL Grand Final into an ‘all day’ affair, rather than just the headline prime time focus after the news. Wonder if an NRL directive too?
I mean, it does reach far more and that’s good not just for more advertising and build-up for the day and 6pm news, but promotion for the main evening game, particularly for non-NRL markets or casuals who may just stumble upon coverage. And of course heightens the other games/competitions during the day.
It’d be interesting to go back in old guides 10, 15, 20 years and compare the line-up to today.
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I think it’s always been an “all day” affair (save for news at 6pm EDT) for NSW and QLD viewers with all three Grand Finals being covered,
The only real change I can think of is the AFL states now get the same coverage on the main channel, whereas in years gone by the first 2 games would be on 9Gem (and not seen at all prior to multi channels).
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But what about before NRLW or 20 years ago, is more what I meant
In the early 80s, the ABC and 7 both covered the Grand Final, but only first grade was usually shown on TV. The ABC coverage was also shown nationally.
By the late 80s, 10 had the rights and started showing all three grades Nine continued with this when it got the rights in 1992. All were day games until 2000. AFL states only ever got the first grade game, but it was live.
From 2001, the first night Grand Final, I recall Nine had 60 Minutes after the news and before the Grand Final. I think that only lasted one year, and from 2002 they showed the pre match entertainment from 6.30 (I’ll never forget the Billy Idol fiasco that year!). Perth and Adelaide got late night replays, I think Melbourne may have taken it live?
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Yeah so coverage didn’t really commence until 1 or 2pm (it’s now essentially 7am if you include Weekend Today which TBH is perhaps a bit much when you consider the telecast will go until late night).
I’m sure the Storm GFs were live on Channel 9 during the 2000s, not sure about the ones not involving them though, especially early 2000s.
Regular season games were still being shown at midnight in Melbourne on Channel 9 prior to NRL allowing live coverage on multi-channel GEM (pre-2013?)
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It was from round 5, 2012 that Gem started showing NRL games in prime time in the AFL markets (at the time the first match of the double header was live, with the other on a full replay), while the Sunday 4:00pm game was delayed in all markets (which meant Perth would’ve gotten the game on a three-hour delay, with kickoff not starting until an hour after the full-time whistle in real life).
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No.
22.30 Wide World of Sports: NRL Grand Final Day
00.35 Movie: East of Eden
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As bad as this was, its still pretty funny when you watch it back today. “Who’s ready for some footy….. Just waitin for some power!” 
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So much banner promotion during the State Championship today.
Kerry Stokes shedding a tear seeing those 3 sports listed in the “coming up” graphic
They were, but coverage was cut seconds after the final siren went to go to a movie, meaning fans in Melbourne were unable to see their team lift the trophy. So petty of GTV9, and likely done to appease the AFL.
I also recall a time where the Storm was playing in a knockout semi final and GTV9 ran a repeat of the movie “Free Willy 2” instead in Melbourne. They showed a replay of the game starting around 10.30pm.
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